Circuit-interrupting mechanism



April 8, 1930. A.' T. Twlss CIRVCUIT INTERRUPTING MEGHANIS! 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jari. 27, 1927 TTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED T. TWISS, F TRAFFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION' OF PENNSYLVANIA CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTING MECHANISM Application filed January 27, 1927.` Serial No. 163,913.

My invention relates to circuit interrupters and particularly to operating mechanisms therefor. f

One object of my invention is to provide a circuit-interrupter operating mechanism that may not be held closed when abnormal conditions exist.

Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit interrupter with a closing mechanism that shall be released when tripped at any one of its positions.

A further object of my invention is to apply an operating mechanism to circuit-interrupter cover plates for panels that shall be trip-free in all of its operating positions.

I-Ieretofore, it has been the practice to employ a separable closing mechanism for circuit interrupters to be actuatedA by a tripping mechanism when the circuit interrupter nearly reaches its closed position. The closing of the main contact members of the circuit interrupter, under conditions of an overload or short circuit, causes pitting of the main current-carrying parts and, where the circuit interrupter is not completely brought to closed position, it can be held closed against a condition of overload or short circuit, thereby not only endangering the apparatus in question but adjoining apparatus and the life of the operator.

According to my invention, I am able'to release the operating mechanism, atv any position of its closing movement, upon the' actuation of the tripping mechanism by a predetermined electrical condition. This makes the apparatus entirely dependable in its operation and safe.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an elevational view of a circuit interrupter and of the closing 'and tripping mechanism therefor, with a supporting panel and cover plate shown in section; and

Fig; 2 is a schematic view showing the details of the various elements of the closing and tripping mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

My invention comprises, in general, a circuit interrupter 1 that may be any switch mechanism requiring a horizontal or vertical movement to close its electrical contacts, that is' linked to a closing mechanism 2 by a pull rod 3. A panel 4 of insulating material has secured thereto the circuit interrupter 1 and a cover plate 5 that supports the closing mechanism 8 and a tripping mechanism 6.

The closing mechanism 3 is manually operated and comprises an operating handle 7 having a spring-biased latch 8 that supports a roller 9 by a pin 10 for engaging one end of a closing lever 11 at a notch 12, whereby the ope-rating handle 7 and the closing lever 11 are united as one lever. The pin 10 on the latch 8 extends through a slot 14 in a link 15 that is loosely pivoted upon a shaft 16. The link 15 contains a slot 17 through which eX- tends a pin 18 that is mounted on a link 19 that is connected to a'tripping bell-crank 2O having a counter weighted portion 21 for imparting a movement therefrom to the roller 9 for tripping the circuit interrupter at any one of its positions. The tripping bell-crank 2O is actuated by an armature 22 of the tripping mechanism 6.

A latch 24 engages a catch 25 mounted on the operating member 7, thereby latching the circuit interrupter 1 in the closed position until it is released therefrom by a manually operated push rod 26 or by the excitation of the tripping mechanism 6.

Assuming the parts be in the ,circuit closing positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the handle 7 held in its lower position by the cooperation of the latch 24 and the catch 25, and it is desired to manually open the circuit interrupter 1, the operator presses upon the end of the rod 26 which serves to push the latch 24 from oif the end of the catch 25. Thereupon, the handle 7 is pulled upwardly by reason of the pressure exerted by the pull rod 3 upon the shaft 16. The operating handle 7, moving upwardly, carries with it the latch 8, the pin 10, the roller 9, the link 15 and the closing link 11. During this movement, the angular relation between the links 15 and 19 varies by reason of the movement of the pin 18 in the slot 17.

In order to reset the circuit interrupter, the operating handle 7 is again pulled downwardly until the latch 24 engages the catch 25.

In order to automatically trip the circuit interrupter 1, the tripping mechanism 6 is tachedipin.. 181 to beary against therinner face of the slot 17 and thereby move the link 15 until the near face of the slfoirllV engages the pin 10, whereby a light blow from the armature 22 upon the bell-'cranlr20 will be imparted .directly through the levers to the roller 9'and. willlnotYbe absorbedby the movement in the leversystemto take. up the back lash and thereby fail to trip the.. circuit-interrupter.

The actuation ofthe armature'22 imparts amovement from the bell-'crank 2O to the link 19"through the pin-18 to the rear ofthe slot'v17 to th-e .link 15, thence from the rear of the slot lll'to they pin 10 that operates the roller 9,4movingrit' frein the notch 12 in the lever 11, and the latter is freed to permit the Vall rod Sto -move downwardly. The slot 14 1n the linli is provided to allow the yroller 9andithe'pin lOto move freelyA as soon as theroller is over center onthe edge ofthe netch 12.

During the outward "movement of the pin 1.0, a coil sp'ringconstituting `a portion of the latch 8, is ten'sionedin order to cause the roller 9 to return toits initial position after the release ofthe closing'lever 11.

In order to. reset the circuit interr'upter 1, the operator presses on the rod`26`and thereby releases the'operating handle 7 from theA latch 24.-. The operating handle 7 isthen raised upwardly, carrying'with itl'the latch 8 and the linkl 15 until the roller' 9 engages the -under face of the'closing lever 11.. There'- after, the roller 9 moves over the 4end of the closing lever 11 and is seated inthe notch 12 reason'of'the tension of the spring on the latch '8; The operating handle 7 is thendepressed, carrying with it the closinglever 11 until the latch 24again engages thecatch 25, thereby closing the circuit interrupter 1. The foregoing cycle ofoperations may be repeated indinitely and in any order that may be desired.

Itislto be observedthat, in all'positions ofthe operating mechanism 2,-the link. 19 remains in alioriz'ontaliposition and is subject to actuation" bythe operation' of the' trip mechanism 6I Since'the linlrll is permitted to have angular motion with respect tothe link 19 and, at the same time, is subject teactuationby. thefpin 18mounted on the4 link itfollows-that-an actuation of the tripping mechanism 6Tl at time -will resultv in :the movement-.ofthe roller 10 out of engagement with the notch 12, thereb insuring that the circuit interrupter 1 will lie tripped, regardless of the position of the operating handle 7.

Accordingly, I have devised an operating mechanism for circuit interrupters that is adapted tov besupported on a cover plate for mounting.: on panel, pipe frame or other supporting means, which mechanism permits the release of a connected circuit interrupter atany one ofitspositions Itis to be understood that; such 'changes in the form, arrangement, and connection of thefcomponen'tparts of my invention may be made as shall fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

f I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a circuit interrupter supported on the rear of a panel, of a tripping mechanism mounted on a coverpla-te secured to the front of the panel,` an

operating. member. comprising; separableele.-

ments,a latching means for uniting-the separable elements, anda -lever system connected :to the latching means Aand `t'o thetripping mechanism.

2. The combination With. a circuitvinterrupter and atripping mechanism, ofanoperating member comprising separable levers, latching means for uniting.ll thel levers, land a pairof associated'levers-connected tofthe tripping mechanismv and to the latching means, in such manner thatl the` tripping mechanism controls the. latchingmeans.4 in all positions lof the operatingmember.x

3. Thevcombination'with aA circuit interrupterI and/a tripping mechanisnnof a separable operatingmember having. meansfor uniting its separable elements, meansv for joining the tripping mechanism Vto the: unit ingl means inl such m'anner'that af tripping movement can' be transr'nittedto the'` uniting meansfatall` positionsofethe operatingmeml bers.

4. TheV combination with 'a'V circuitinter, rupter and trippingmechan'isrn, ofan operating member"A composed l ofA separable.V levers, latching. means in the operatingmember for uniting the levers,and .a tpair? of' adj aeentlevers flexibly unitedat one end and'having their# otherends attached tothe tripping mechanism and latchingfmeans,` respectively, in such manner that one of the levers follows the movement ofthe operating memberx and constitutes' the meansfor transmitting. an impulse from the tripping vmechan-ism'l'to `the latching. means at. any position of' theoperating member, whereby* the Yrelease ofthe seperable levers of the operating. memben permits` thea circuit interrnpter to 1 be opened' .at any position lin it's closilngmovementaorin its closed position. A

The combination f with a circuit!y inter rupter, ofan opera-tingfmember.` therefor comprising separableA members, f latching; means for uniting the 'separablemembersa tripping mechanism, and means disposed within the operating member to enable the tripping mechanism to separate the operating member at any of its positions.

6. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of a supporting panel, a cover-plate therefor, an operating member and a tripping mechanism disposed on said cover-plate, a lever system disposed within the operating member comprising two adjacent members n loosely pivoted upon a shaft and flexibly connected to each other, having one end of one of the members connected to the tripping mechanism and an end of the other member connected to the latching means in such manner that, in any one of its positions, an impulse from the tripping mechanism will be carried by the lever system to the latching means, whereby the operating mechanism will be separated from the circuit interrupter.

7. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of a supporting panel, a cover-plate therefor, a separable operating member, a latching means and a tripping mechanism disposed on said cover-plate, and a lever system comprising two adjacent members connected to the tripping mechanism, to the latching means, and to each other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of January,

ALFRED T. TWISS. 

